The Ruby Valley Station was started in 1859 as part of George Chorpenning’s mail route. Later the station served the Pony Express and Overland Mail Company line in White Pine County, Nevada. The station was managed by William “Uncle Billy” Rogers and Frederick William Hurst.
Richard Burton visited the site on October 7, 1860, Rogers served as stationkeeper. At that time, this station was considered a half-way point between Salt Lake City, Utah and the Carson Valley. Protection from angry Western Shoshone Tribes is provided from Fort Ruby from 1862 – 1869, which is located near by. The station is an extremely small log cabin which is just eleven feet wide and eighteen feet lone.
The area’s rich soil provided excellent opportunities to raise food and hay for the other stations along the route. A band of Shoshone and the army also established camps near the station at various times. Camp Floyd’s Company B of the 4th Artillery Regiment arrived at Ruby Valley in May 1860 to protect the mail route during the Pyramid Lake War and remained there until October. Thereafter, the station’s name appeared on the 1861 mail contract list.
NPS – Pony Express DIVISION FOUR: STATIONS BETWEEN SALT LAKE CITY AND ROBERTS CREEK
The structure is built from vertical logs which form the walls. The walls are topped by smaller logs placed perpendicularly to form a slightly sloped shed roof. The root is originally covered with sod. An exterior stone chimney stands at one end of the cabin. The only opening into the building is the front entrance, centered in the main facade. Pony Express stations consisted of rudimentary cabins for shelter, they were critical to the survival of the route.
For preservation, the Ruby Vally station was physically relocated to the grounds of the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko in 1960. The Northeastern Nevada Historical Society donated a brass maker to identify the station site in 1979.
Ruby Valley Station Map
Station Summary
| Name | Ruby Valley Station |
| Location | White Pine County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 40.04652, -115.4918 |
| GNIS | 845958 |
| Elevation | 6030 feet |
| Pony Express Station No. | 131 |
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